How to Help Your Tax Guy Service You Better | Tips for Individual Taxpayers
Let’s be honest — tax season isn’t fun for anyone. But it can be smooth, efficient, and relatively painless. And no, I’m not just saying that because I live and breathe this stuff. I’m saying it because the biggest difference between chaos and calm is usually this:
Clients who help us help them.
So here’s a no-nonsense, slightly cheeky list of things you can do to make your tax practitioner’s life easier (and get better results for yourself in the process).
1. Don’t ghost your tax guy
We get it — tax emails don’t exactly spark joy. But when we reach out, it’s because we need something. Ignoring emails = delays, last-minute stress, and a higher chance of mistakes. Respond promptly, and we’ll keep things moving.
2. Get your documents in early
There’s a magical window between “too early to do anything” and “cutting it fine.” Try to land in that sweet spot. Waiting until the last week before the deadline? That’s asking for pressure — for you and us.
3. Please, no encrypted PDFs
This one’s a game-changer. Don’t send documents that need passwords or ID numbers to open. We have to manually decrypt, rename, and re-save them — and SARS often won’t accept them anyway. Unlocked PDFs are the way to go.
4. Name your files like a pro
“2024_Medical_TaxCertificate.pdf”? Brilliant.
“Scan008finalFINAL_v2.pdf”? Less so.
Clear, descriptive filenames save us time and reduce the back-and-forth. Everyone wins.
5. Be straight with us — we’re not the tax police
Side hustle? Freelance income? Crypto trading? Tell us. We’re not here to judge — we just want to help you stay compliant (and maybe save some tax while we’re at it).
6. Life changes? Tell us!
Moved? Married? Changed jobs? Started a business? These things can shift your tax situation in important ways. Keep us in the loop.
7. Separate your business and personal expenses
Blurring the lines between personal and business transactions makes our job trickier — and your return more error-prone. If you’re running a business (even part-time), keep it clean and separate.
8. Ask questions — seriously
Not sure about something? Just ask. There’s no such thing as a dumb tax question. We’d rather spend five minutes explaining now than an hour fixing later.
9. Trust the process
We know what we’re doing — promise. But we’re not miracle workers. If we’re chasing you for info or nudging you about deadlines, it’s because we want to get it right. We’re on your team.
In short? Communicate early, send clean docs, stay honest, and trust us to do our thing. Do that, and tax season might just surprise you.